Salman Rushdie condemns Charlie Hebdo attack as a sign of the 'deadly mutation in the heart of Islam'

Author Salman Rushdie, whose book 'The Satanic Verses' prompted Iranian clergy to issue a death fatwa on him, has condemned the attack on the Paris offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Speaking in support of the publication, which had its old offices burned down after printing cartoons that mocked the Prophet Muhammad, Mr Rushdie said 'religion deserves our fearless disrespect'. He added that the strike by suspected Al Qaeda militants, which left 12 dead, was a sign of the 'deadly mutation in the heart of Islam.' Mr Rushdie was named alongside Staphane Charbonnier, the newspaper's editor, on Al Qaeda's 'most wanted' list last year. This morning 12 people - including four of France's most revered cartoonists - were executed by masked attackers brandishing Kalashnikovs, who burst into the Charlie Hebdo headquarters. The militants opened fire on staff after seeking out journalists by name. Witnesses said the suspected Al Qaeda gunmen were heard to shout 'the Prophet has been avenged' and 'Allahu akbar!' – Arabic for 'God is great' – as they stalked the building. They headed straight for the paper's editor and cartoonist, Stephane Charbonnier, killing him and his police bodyguard. The security had been recruited to protect him after extremists firebombed the offices in 2011 over a satirical cartoon about the Prophet Mohammed. A year later, Mr Charbonnier famously dismissed threats against his life, declaring: 'I would rather die standing than live kneeling.' The militants also killed three other renowned cartoonists – men who had regularly satirised Islam – and the newspaper's deputy chief editor. They shot two policemen as they left the building. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2900976/Salman-Rushdie-condemns-Charlie-Hebdo-attack-sign-deadly-mutation-heart-Islam.html#ixzz3OBZ5tHrj Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook